Woodcrest Reunion

History

Among the common folk of the Inner Sea, little is known about the ancient history of Golarion. Most humans have heard of the magnificent island empire of Azlant, from which Aroden, the Last Man, rose and brought civilization to the uneducated peoples of the mainland. The longlived elves bear their own tales of their race’s ancient exodus from Golarion, and relatively recent return to a land overrun by humans. Yet beyond these few legends, most folk know next to nothing of those ancient days, and for good reason. Roughly 10,000 years ago, the sky opened up and pelted Golarion with falling stars in a cataclysm known as Earthfall, shattering entire civilizations and raising a cloud of dust that blotted out the sun and plunged the Inner Sea into an age of both literal and metaphysical darkness. During this time, whole nations were wiped from the face of the earth, and new races from the depths of the Darklands made their way onto the surface. When at last the darkness receded, the folk began to rebuild. But though their new nations stretch far and wide, traces of the grandeur that once was remain, the corpse of a world lost beneath its descendants’ feet.

What follows is a basic timeline of the Inner Sea, featuring relatively well-known events that a reputable sage might be expected to know. The Inner Sea measures its years in Absalom Reckoning (ar), starting with the year that Aroden raised the Starstone from the depths. See Important Regions of Golarion for information about the various countries for more context.

The Age of Darkness ( – 5293 ar to – 4295 ar)

- 5293 Earthfall. Falling stars destroy Azlant and the Starstone creates the Inner Sea, ushering in the Age of Darkness. The elves depart Golarion.

- 5102 The orcs break through to the surface world and rampage across much of Avistan, driven upward as the dwarves tunnel toward the surface in their Quest for Sky.

Age of Anguish ( – 4294 ar to – 3471 ar)

The world, broken and shattered, begins to mend itself as its peoples struggle for the power to heal the scarred land—or dominate it. The Spawn of Rovagug emerge from the depths for the first time.

Age of Destiny ( – 3470 ar to – 1 ar)

- 3470 Ancient Osirion is founded and stands as a beacon of civilization, reaching its peak in – 3000 ar.

- 1281 Taldor is founded, eventually growing into an empire that dominates southern Avistan and much of the Inner Sea.

- 892 The wizard-kings Nex and Geb go to war with each other in a conflict that lasts more than a thousand years.

- 632 The Tarrasque emerges in the lands to the east and lays waste to countless cities.

Age of Enthronement (1 ar to 4605 ar)

1 The hero Aroden raises the Starstone from the heart of the Inner Sea, ascends to godhood, and founds Absalom.

896 Aroden mortally wounds the wizard-king Tar-Baphon on the Isle of Terror.

1707 Taldor’s armies establish the province of Andoran.

1893 Norgorber passes the Test of the Starstone and becomes a god.

2361 The Varisian hero Soividia Ustav founds Ustalav.

2497 The demon Treerazer begins defiling Kyonin.

2632 The elves return to Golarion from their place of exile.

2765 Cayden Cailean drunkenly passes the Test of the Starstone to become a god.

3007 Taldor founds the province of Cheliax.

3203 The dreaded wizard Tar-Baphon returns to life as the Whispering Tyrant and begins terrorizing central Avistan.

3313 The Witch Queen Baba Yaga creates the country of Irrisen out of the eastern Lands of the Linnorm Kings.

3827 The Shining Crusaders imprison the Whispering Tyrant in Gallowspire.

3828 Taldor founds the province of Lastwall to guard against the Whispering Tyrant’s return.

3832 Iomedae successfully endures the Test of the Starstone to become Aroden’s Herald.

4081 Cheliax breaks from Taldor, taking with it Andoran, Galt, and Isger, beginning the ascent of Imperial Cheliax.

4137 Cheliax assaults Absalom and fails.

4138 Cheliax founds the colony of Sargava in Garund.

4307 The Pathfinder Society is founded in Absalom.

4338 Shadow-haunted Nidal falls to Cheliax.

4499 Choral the Conqueror founds Brevoy.

4576 The first militant order of the Hellknights is founded.

Age of Lost Omens (4606 ar to modern day)

4606 Rather than fulfilling prophecy and returning to Golarion, Aroden dies. Demons and Abyssal energy overrun Sarkoris, transforming the barbarian kingdom into the Worldwound. The Eye of Abendego forms off the western coast of Garund.

4609 Khemet I retakes Osirion from the Keleshite satraps.

4632 The province of Molthune secedes from Cheliax.

4640 The diabolical House of Thrune seizes control of Cheliax.

4655 Nirmathas breaks away from Molthune.

4661 Razmir, the Living God, establishes the nation of Razmiran in his own name.

4667 The people of Galt break away from Cheliax in the brutal Red Revolution.